Cone Calorimeter

Firetesting Technology FAA Micro Calorimeter

Accurate and cost effective micro calorimetry using a Pyrolysis Combustion Flow Calorimeter.

The FAA Micro Calorimeter determines fundamental thermo-chemical data in seconds and predicts fire properties of materials.

The technique enables parameters such as Specific Heat Release Rate (W/g), Heat of Combustion (J/g) and Ignition Temperature (°C) to be quickly determined from very small (1-5mg) specimens. It is a low cost and accurate technique to use; with a typical repeatability of ± 5%.

Micro Calorimeter data has been shown to correlate with fire test data, flammability results and combustion tests and is therefore seen as a powerful, low cost tool to assess and predict flammability properties.

The specimen is first heated at a constant rate of temperature rise (typically 1°C/s) in a pyrolyser and the degradation products are purged from the pyrolyser by an inert gas (nitrogen). The gas stream is mixed with oxygen and enters a combustor at 900°C where the decomposition products are completely oxidised. Oxygen concentrations and flow rates of the combustion gases are used to determine the oxygen consumption involved in the combustion process and the heat release rates are determined from these measurements.